


Not Conventional (But It Works)

by Chosenfire



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Family, Gen, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-28
Updated: 2013-04-28
Packaged: 2017-12-09 19:11:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/777005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chosenfire/pseuds/Chosenfire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fiona was just searching through the trash for Carl's homework. She didn't expect to find a flyer for a Mother-Daughter Brunch.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Conventional (But It Works)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ozmissage](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ozmissage/gifts).



> It was a pleasure to write this for you and I hope you enjoy it! This is set preseries and is meant as a moment in the Gallagher family between Fiona and Debbie, with Veronica and the rest of the Gallagher's making an appearance. 
> 
> Thank you to sheswatching for betaing this for me despite not knowing the fandom, and then rebetaing it for me when I added more words.

The smell was pungent, a mixture of dirty diapers, bad food, and a million other things the Gallagher family had thrown away in the past couple of days. Fiona covered her nose with one arm, cringing as she sorted through it, grateful for the elbow length rubber gloves she’d kept from her last job.

“Throw away your keys again?” Veronica asked, setting down a bag of groceries on the counter as she watched. 

Fiona shifted aside an empty can of chili, being careful not to cut herself. “That happened once, and no. Carl’s been throwing away his homework again.” Fiona felt triumphant as her fingers finally caught on some papers and she pulled them out, shaking them to get off any excess trash before setting the small stack on the counter.

She pulled off her gloves stuffing them into the junk drawer. She moved around Veronica, who was opening the fridge to put away some milk, and ran her hands under the hot water to get rid of the feel of filth. “That kid is getting craftier and craftier.” Veronica observed closing the fridge and leaning against it.

“Well he hasn’t beaten me yet.” Fiona grinned grabbing a loaf of bread out of the bag and setting it on top of the microwave where Liam’s hands couldn't reach it. “I used to pull the same tricks, when he started leaving it at school I called his teachers and asked them to text me a list of his homework for the day.” 

Veronica grinned and was about to say something but was cut off by the slam of the back door and Ian and Lip running into the kitchen. Their bags were slung on their shoulders and Veronica moved out of their way as they zeroed straight in on the fridge. Lip grabbed a couple cans of soda and Ian stood on his tiptoes to grab a bag of chips off the top of the fridge. Before they could leave Fiona yelled, “Hey, could one of you take out the trash?”

“Not it.” Ian pressed a quick kiss to her cheek before racing upstairs, his boots making it sound like thunder. Lip rolled his eyes and stuck the cans of coke into his back pockets, grabbing the trashcan with one hand.

“Thank you!” She yelled at his back as she passed and moved back over to the papers, sorting through them. There was a math packet and some cursive, as well as a flyer for Joe’s Burgers announcing it’s 2 for 1 Big Joe Burger Mondays. Really, Joe’s should be advertising the side of food poisoning that came with each meal. Fiona balled that up and threw it back in the trash, scanning the bright pink paper that had been under it. 

Fiona went still as she read and Veronica noticed, asking, “What’s that?”

She swallowed, handing the paper to Veronica. “It’s Debs; the school is having a Mother and Daughter Brunch. She didn't tell me about it.” Fiona couldn't keep the disappointment out of her voice. She dragged a hand through her hair, she had promised V a girls’ day out, which is why Lip and Ian were home. They had agreed to watch the rest of the kids while they hit the bars. Fiona smiled apologetically. “V, I need to talk to Debs.”

Veronica just smiled hopping up on the counter and shooing her away. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Smiling gratefully Fiona made her way up to the stairs and knocked gently on one of the bedroom doors. “Debs?”

“Come in!” Fiona entered to see Debbie stretched out across her bed, homework spread out before her as she worked. She gave Fiona a wide grin. “What’s going on?” 

Fiona sat down beside her on the bed and offered the paper. “I found this in the trash.”

Debbie paused in her writing, face going still before she plastered the smile back on. “Oh that, it’s fine. It’s this Friday and I don’t think we’d be able to find Monica in time. Plus some of the other girls were saying I’d have to dress up and I don’t think we could afford a dress. Tickets are 50 dollars for a pair. So it’s fine.” The smile was bright, fake. Fiona could hear the longing in her voice. 

“We could go,” she offered “Me and you, make a girls day of it.” Fiona tried to keep her voice light, hating Monica again for not being around. She hadn't been around for her growing up either, and that was fine, Fiona had managed. But Debbie didn't have to, Fiona didn't want her to just manage. “I have some money put away so dresses shouldn't be a problem.” She could pick up an extra shift at the store, maybe check and see if Marge had any houses that needed cleaning. She nudged Debbie and the smile on the girl’s face changed to something tentative but more genuine. 

“I’d like that, I mean if you could get off work.” She ducked her head, her smile bright. 

“Count on it,” Fiona promised, standing up. “I promised V we would go out, but when I get back I’ll show you some of my make up and see if there is anything you like.” She brushed the hair out of Debbie’s eyes pressing a kiss to her forehead “If you see Carl tell him his homework is on the kitchen table, and that if he doesn't do it no TV for a week.”

“Will do.” Debbie turned back to her homework looking happier than when Fiona had entered, smoothing out the paper about the Brunch across her bed. 

Fiona closed the door softly behind her and stomped back downstairs calling to V as she entered the kitchen. “Quick, I need two dresses, school appropriate for me and Debs by Friday. We’re going to go to the Brunch thing”

Veronica slung her purse on her shoulder. “I think I know of a few places we can look.” 

Fiona grabbed the cell off the counter sticking it in the pocket of her shorts and walked with Veronica asking “What the hell is a Brunch anyway?”

***

It was barely dark when Fiona got home, unlocking the door with one hand as she tried to balance two large laundry bags in the other. They weren't exactly heavy, but the length made them awkward to hold. Closing the door behind her and re-locking it Fiona took in the scene of the front room. Carl was sitting on the floor in front of the living room table, bent over the papers she had fished out of the trash earlier in the day. Lip was beside him, leaning over his shoulder whispering something in his ear that set Carl off erasing. “Hey Fiona,” Carl called out distractedly. Lip looked up and he and Fiona shared a smile. She walked further into the room and saw that Liam was sleeping beside Lip on the couch, a bottle hanging out of his mouth. She ruffled Carl’s hair as she passed and picked up the bottle and placed it on the table.

“Ian still home?” she asked Lip softly, not wanting to wake up Liam or disturb Carl’s concentration. It wasn’t hard to do and she was relieved getting him to do his homework hadn't turned into a fight tonight. 

Lip shook his head. “Got called in to close, he said he’d grab something for dinner on the way home though.”

“Okay.” At least that meant dinner was covered, and she wouldn't have to make anything. 

Fiona set down the longer of the two bags on the back of the couch and set the other across her shoulder, making sure it was balanced before she leaned down. She gently picked up Liam, cradling his head as she settled him in the crook of her arms. He was still small, barely even crawling. He stirred enough to stare up at her sleepily, before burying his head in the crook of her neck, his breath warm and a little wet against her skin. Fiona passed her hand over his diaper, finding it still dry. She mouthed a thanks to Lip, grateful he had fed and changed the youngest of their gang before she got home.

Turning, she carried him up the stairs. She’d grown used to his weight in her hands having been the one responsible for him since Monica took off before he was even rolling over. She stopped by the room he shared with the boys and set him down in his crib. He turned till his butt was in the air before settling back into sleep. Fiona smoothed a blanket over his body and cracked the door so light still entered the room and so they could hear him if he cried. 

She then went on to Debbie’s room, once again knocking gently. There was no answer so Fiona pushed open the door. Debbie’s homework and books were stacked neatly by her bed, the pink flyer on top, and Debbie was stretched out under the covers. She was fast asleep and Fiona knew she would need to wake her once Ian got home so she could eat and brush her teeth.

That was still a little whiles off, so Fiona took the bag and laid it out on the rickety chair that was in front of Debbie’s desk. Fiona unzipped the bag and pulled out the frilly blue dress. She’d known the second she saw it that Debs would love it. They would need to get shoes to go with it and that would be another day of work, it was worth it though.

Fiona hung it on the door, where Debbie could see it when she woke up and pulled the blanket tighter around her before heading towards the shower. If she was quick she could get downstairs to before Ian got home and make sure Carl got his homework done.


End file.
